Year: 2006

Sort: Folk Literature

Area: Zhejiang

No. Ⅰ-11

Declarer: Tiantai County,Zhejiang Province

The tale of Jigong evolved from the legend of Daoji, a ZenBuddhismhierarch inSouthern Song Dynasty(1127-1279AD). Tiantai County is believed to be the birthplace of Daoji.

Daoji was born to a comfortable family and as a baby, the abbot Xingkong named him Xiuyuan after seeing he was the reincarnation of the Arhat Xiang Long in a vision. He was an outstanding student and knew all the classics but his parents passed away when he was sixteen. As a result he had to live with his uncle and after three years of mourning he left and traveled around the country. By the time he arrived atHangzhou, he had spent all his money and he decided to be a monk atLingyin temple. The abbot accepted him as his disciple and named him Daoji.